Business blog

Five Reasons to Trade In Your Electronics

Everyone has a junk drawer, and yours may include paper clips, Post-It notepads, pens and pencils, some tape, and a few old mobile phones. Not sure what to do with your old smartphone or tablet once you have upgraded? Trading in your device has some distinct advantages.

1. Cash money, honey! Trading in your device allows you to use the trade-in cash to upgrade to the latest technology. Instead of keeping your old phone in a drawer where it is completely useless, why not opt to trade up by trading in? You will love the new features of an upgraded device, and let’s face it, maintaining your old device has become a hassle.

Selling your old cell phone seems like a pretty sweet deal, and makes it easier for you to afford a new one. Want to know how much your old electronic device is worth? Check Amazon Trade-In, or a site like BuyBackWorld.
2. It’s planet friendly! Trading in your old devices allows companies to recycle them into brand new devices. Not only does trading in your device get it out of your drawer, but it stays out of landfills once you decide to toss it and clean out the clutter in your home. We should all do our part for the planet, and recycling electronics is something that everyone can do easily.
3. Eliminate clutter. Simplifying your home can lessen stress, and clutter can be anxiety inducing. Whittle that pile of old tablets, broken kids’ devices, practically pixelated digital cameras, phones that go back to the flip-phone age, and even your pagers from the 90s (are you really that old?) and trade it all in. You may not get a lot of money from the trade in, especially from older items, but think about how nice it will be not to have those gadgets attracting dust in your closet or your garage. A clean house is a clean mind!
4. New stuff! If you don’t need a new phone and don’t care about the cash, and you’re not fully convinced that you want to trade your old devices in, consider this: some stores and sites, like Best Buy, Amazon, or GameStop offer store credit in exchange for your phone. Hand over your pile of devices, and walk away with a store gift card that allows you to buy anything you want. Goodbye, old iPhone, hello, big screen TV!
5. It’s charitable. Some companies refurbish old electronics and donate them to charities, schools, churches, or hospitals. You may not get cash back for your trade-in, but you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing your old device could help someone less fortunate and in need. Some companies do offer a trade-in price for your phone, such as SecondWave, but they let you decide which charity to send the money too. It’s a trade-in that makes you feel good. Consider it good karma. Check out Goodwill for good faith trade-ins, especially for computers that you no longer use, or check Cell Phones for Soldiers and the 911 Cell Phone Bank to find out other philanthropic ways to donate your old phone or device.

Don’t forget, before you go to trade in or donate your old devices, make sure and delete all of your personal information, messages, and photos from cell phones, wipe the hard drive from a laptop or computer, and remove any old SD cards from a camera or phone. Happy trading!